Print any photo as a polaroid: free template!

When my brother Joe came up with this simple method for turning some favourite digital snaps into perfect Polaroids for the backdrop of our Showcase stand, I knew you’d love to get your hands on the template. So, I’ve invited him to do his first guest post here and share the DIY – over to you bro!

Hi, Joe here!

If you love Polaroid format pictures as much as I do, you’ve generally got two options: buy a bargain Polaroid camera then shed tears over the cost of the film, or shell out almost as much on send-away Instagram printing.

Now, I print my DSLR photographs for the princely sum of 10p each at my local Asda, so the above options just didn’t add up for me. So instead, I decided to have a go at designing a Photoshop template that meant I could print any digital photo I liked as a Polaroid – and it worked!

Turn any digital photo into a Polaroid print

Your photos as jpegs

Photoshop (or if you want almost the same thing for free, I recommend GNU GIMP)

 

1. Download my free Polaroid template PNG image and open in Photoshop or GIMP

2. Drag in your photograph as a layer* and re-order the layers so your photo is behind the Polaroid template

3. Select your photograph layer and use the re-size and move tools so that the desired section of the image appears in the square portion of the Polaroid template. It’s likely that your photo will be huge compared to the template, but just shrink it down to size**

4. Save or export image as a JPEG

5. Put the pictures on a memory stick and take to your local photo processing place or use your home printer

6. Use a guillotine or craft knife to trim the bottom white portion from the photo, leaving a thicker border at the base than the sides

*Need help with layers? Watch this YouTube video for Photoshop or this one for GIMP.

**The template size is 12×8 inches which will automatically be scaled down to 6×4″ by the photo processor but allows the file to be a higher resolution to start with. If you chose to print it in a different ratio, the Polaroid image will no longer be square.

I really hope you like it – I’ll be on hand in the comments section to answer any questions!

- Joe

{Photographs, tutorial and template © Decorator’s Notebook}

15-minute make: magnetic storage tins

I’ve posted before about my tendency to buy foods just because I like the packaging. My kitchen cupboards are full of decanted jam, biscuits and spices – some labelled, others not. Sometimes fun / disastrous at mealtimes!

This (slightly belated) 15-minute make will require you to shop around for pretty tins and find another home for the contents… that’s the hardest part over and done with. The rest of this DIY couldn’t be easier! My local Turkish supermarket is a goldmine of nice packaging, or scout car boot sales for vintage alternatives.

Magnetic Storage Tins

Selection of square or rectangular tins

Magnets

Super glue / glue gun

1) Empty, rinse and dry the tins.

2) Glue a magnet onto the back of each tin. Use two magnets if you plan to store something heavy. Leave to dry.

3) That’s it!

{A Pretty Cool Life}

These tins are really handy on the fridge or invest a mere £11 in a magnetic knife strip from IKEA and you can stick them anywhere. I like the idea of a whole row above my desk for pens and paperclips or inside the door of my DIY cupboard for nails and screws.

15-minute make: porcelain pen plates

Here’s a simple DIY using just two ingredients… a porcelain pen and a plain white plate. You could try out any design you want, but I really love the simplicity of this graphic pattern. It looks great and there’s no particular drawing skill needed to recreate it – just the kind of crafting I like!

Porcelain Pen Decorated Plates

Fire at home porcelain pen

Basic white plates

1) Read the instructions on your porcelain pen – follow those if they differ from mine!

2) Give the pen a good shake and press the nib of the pen down several times on a sheet of scrap paper to get the ink flowing.

3) Start drawing your design on the plate, starting in the centre and turning the plate as you work to avoid smudging.

4) Leave to air dry for 24 hours then bake in the oven for 35 minutes at 150ºC / Gas Mark 2. Once fired the pen should be dishwasher safe but I’d recommend hand washing your masterpiece to be on the safe side.

{Project and Photography Mormorsglamour}

Have a great weekend everyone. I’m getting behind the wheel for the first time in over 5 years… wish me luck!

How to hang a display of vintage mirrors

At last, the forest green walls in my bathroom have been transformed into a nice cool grey. Time to finally hang the 1930s mirror collection I’ve had in the cupboard under the stairs for the last five years! Creating a frameless mirror display is harder than it looks so I thought I’d put together a little ‘how to’ with some tips and tricks.

Boring before…

Beautiful after…

How to hang a display of frameless vintage mirrors

YOU WILL NEED:

• Mirrors
• Roll of parcel paper or large offcuts of wallpaper
• Pencil
• Masking tape
• Heavy duty picture hooks with at least two screw holes
• Screws and rawlplugs suitable for your wall type
• Tape measure / ruler
• Drill
• Screwdriver

1) Check the fixings on the back of each mirror are secure (frameless mirrors can be very heavy) and tighten them if necessary. I thought my display would look neater if the chains were hidden so I shortened some of them by adjusting the positions of the fixings and clipping off the excess chain with wire cutters.

2) Trace around each mirror on the parcel paper and cut out to make a template. Sketch on the position of any patterns and mark the top/bottom if necessary.

3) Lay all the templates out on the floor and move them around the create an arrangement you like. Take a photo to act as a reference.

4) Use masking tape to fix the templates onto the wall in the same positions, tweaking the arrangement if necessary. I  swapped the bottom right-hand and left-hand mirrors over as I could see that would fit better once I had the templates up on the wall.

5) Start with the mirror that will hang in the bottom centre position. Lay it face down on the floor and loop your hook under the chain. Pull the chain taught and measure how far down the lower screw hole is from the top of the mirror.

6) Place the hook on top of the corresponding paper template, measure the same distance from the top and mark the position of the screw hole on the wall. You should be able mark through the paper with the template still in place. Then mark the position of the other screw hole, using the hook as your guide.

7) Remove the template and drill holes in the marked positions. Tap in rawlplugs and securely screw in the hook. The easiest way to do this is to start the screw off with a manual screwdriver then finish it off tightly with an electric screwdriver if you have one.

8) Repeat for all the mirrors making any small adjustments to the positions as you go along. Stand back and admire your handiwork!

{all Decorator’s Notebook}

I’m really happy with how it’s turned out and my bathroom looks so much lighter and more spacious now. I hope this little tutorial has proved useful – if it has, why not share it via Pinterest with a link to Decorator’s Notebook?

The Fabulous Scavenger

It’s been a while since I shared a blog crush, but two lovely posts about Decorator’s Notebook this week at Tea For Joy and Furnish reminded me how nice it is to celebrate fellow bloggers.

The Fabulous Scavenger has only been going for a few months but it’s already full of clever projects for upcycling vintage finds. Ok, I admit that my praise is tinged with envy… just look at these amazing children’s chairs writer Samantha found on the side of the road and this beautifully battered spirit level from a charity shop. Some people just seem to have all the luck!

Anyway, let’s find it in our hearts to be pleased for her and look at some of Samantha’s brilliant projects.

I was really intrigued to read about what Samantha calls ‘the hard rubbish collection’ – a designated day where households can put junk outside their homes for the council (or whatever they call bin men across the pond) to pick up. Apparently scrap metal collectors and keen vintage hunters cruise the streets in the hope of beating the official rubbish truck and picking up some treasure for themselves. These little spice jars were rescued from the roadside and after a quick wash they make lovely mini vases.

This spirit level wall hook DIY couldn’t be simpler – just screw one to the other and voilà! Such a clever yet straightforward idea.

{all The Fabulous Scavenger}

There’s so much I love about this bedroom: the headboard made from old mirror frames, those adorable children’s chairs at the end of the bed and the easy lamp update using a colourful scarf. Further proof (if we ever needed it) that a little splash of yellow improves almost any room.

With so many great ideas to share so soon after starting blogging, I’ll definitely be keeping a close eye on The Fabulous Scavenger from now on. Go and check it out… I think you’ll agree!

Upcycling: the good, the bad and The Apprentice

So, did you see it? I honestly didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. Or where to look – at the TV screen or my Twitter timeline, which was buzzing with talk of nothing else!

One of the things that got me growling at the telly was the indiscriminate use of terms like ‘shabby chic’, ‘vintage’, ‘retro’ and ‘upcycling’. I honestly felt that kind of cringing you get when your grandad says the word ‘sex’. By the time it got to the boardroom and Lord Sugar was saying “upcycling” (in a tone that suggested invisible airfinger speech marks) every 30 seconds I was actually wincing and had my hands ready to cover my ears.

But from an academic perspective the thing that got me thinking most was those on Twitter who were getting angry and upset that The Apprentice candidates were making a mockery of people who sell and upcycle vintage furniture for a living. To me, they’re getting the wrong end of the stick. Those candidates went into the task thinking as I suspect many people do… “this is easy, anyone can do it.” However, what they managed to prove is that no, you can’t. Sure, anyone can stencil a Union Jack onto something (anything) or write Shabby Chic on a luggage tag and hope for the best, but to make something that’s genuinely desirable and covetable you need creativity, skill and a sense for good design.

So, for today I thought I’d post some examples of upcycled pieces that I find inspiring and innovative. Saying that, I think we definitely need a new word to describe this… every time I type upcycled I can feel my fingers tensing up!

I really like this lampshade made from vintage rulers from Roost Living. I think it works because it takes items that are already nicely designed but not overly useful (at least, not once you’ve left school) and turns them into something that’s still nicely designed but useful in a different way. No extra faff or bling – just simple and charming.

{via Apartment Therapy}

You might already be sick of the whole wooden pallet thing, but I think this pallet plate rack is still really clever. It’s a completely new use of a genuinely redundant object and fits into the room in a way that doesn’t shout about its old purpose or feel particularly contrived.

{Annaleena’s Hem}

Am I on shaky ground with this one? I’m going to argue for it because I think it’s clever, it costs almost nothing and it does something practical. No, I don’t think you should pay a single penny for someone to make it for you but I think it’s a great idea.

{Shannon Fricke via Decor8}

A good quality, functional but probably not too attractive wardrobe updated with good quality, attractive but not very functional wallpaper offcuts. Symbiotic upcycling at its best!

Of course, I’m not saying there aren’t some shocking examples out there – I was tickled that one tweeter suggested last night’s episode of The Apprentice should’ve been sponsored by Regretsy – but of course, I wouldn’t be bitchy enough to point out any bad examples.

Hang on, what’s that?

Oh. It appears that I am.

And I’ve made a special Pinterest board of the best (worst) I could find. Sorry… couldn’t help it.

Please do comment with other pieces (good and bad) and tell me what you think of the whole upcycling thing!

To do list 2012

I don’t really believe much in new year’s resolutions, but I believe very strongly in making lists. When I first moved into Le Flat nearly two years ago it was a hive of activity. The dark forest green spare room was given a makeover with fresh white paint and a soft stone feature wall ready for my lovely lodger to move in within a fortnight. Six months later the old pine kitchen had been ripped out, a glossy new one fitted, a dividing wall demolished and the newly open-plan kitchen/living room painted pale grey.

But since Christmas 2010 I’ve been terribly slack. Ok, there was wallpapering day, but apart from that I’ve done more or less naff all for a year. I can’t believe it’s been that long!

So, 2012 definitely needs to be a year when stuff happens. Or more specifically, when I make stuff happen. I’ve written a list in my Sort Design notebook (aptly titled ‘Progress in the Home’) that looks a little something like this…

{both Decorator’s Notebook}

Typically, I’ve started on the only fun and completely non-urgent thing on the list – I don’t even plan to decorate my bedroom until next year but there are already the beginnings of a moodboard over on Pinterest. At the moment the plan is a mix of putty, natural linen and soft heather. Who knows. That will probably all change by the time I get around to getting the paintbrushes out!

I’m hoping that publishing  my to do list here for all to see will shame me into getting on with it. Please feel free  to remind me what a bad blogger I am if you don’t see some more ‘before and after’ posts soon!

Before & After: my kitchen

After last week’s wobble about my home and all your comments and tweets I promised you a few more peeks of Le Flat here at Decorator’s Notebook. So, let’s kick things off with the heart of the home shall we?

It’s a particularly appropriate place to start because this time last year I had no kitchen at all and I was re-heating sorry looking ready meals in a dust coated microwave on the dining table.

So, without any further ado, let me present the ‘before’ in all its glory.

BEFORE

Note the TOWIE toned pine cupboard doors, poxy small wall units and grimy tiles. When I first moved in I spent an hour scrubbing the grease stains off those tiles before I realised it was actually supposed to be a design! But the very worst thing about the kitchen was that it was so dark. When the building was split into flats in the ’80s the developer carved the kitchen out from the living room with a stud wall leaving a dingy, windowless room. From the moment I viewed the flat I knew the wall had to go.

AFTER

Ahhh, so much better! I needed to do the kitchen on a seriously tight budget, so I chose simple Abstrakt white gloss units from IKEA and kept the appliances in the same positions as they were before so I didn’t have to spend money on getting the gas, electrical and plumbing points changed. But best of all… NO WALL! I know some people aren’t keen on open plan kitchens but the whole space is now filled with natural light and it’s really sociable. When I had friends to dinner before, I’d be stuck in the kitchen behind this…

BEFORE

Now, I can chat away to my heart’s content… the half-height wall divides the space enough without the kitchen feeling cut off and the folding screen hides the mess around the sink.

AFTER

{all Decorator’s Notebook}

I’ve really enjoyed putting together this post… digging out those hideous ‘before’ pictures has reminded me how far I’ve come. Aw, I love my little flat!

Make a street-sweeper smile…

…get crafting with autumn leaves!

{Sinnenrausch}

This is such a simple idea – cut and hem some cheap cotton squares, coat the underside of some shapely leaves with fabric paint and print (some paints need a quick iron to make them washable). I think the bunting is really cute but a tablecloth and napkins would be lovely too. A nice Christmas pressie perhaps?

{Sinnenrausch}

I was endlessly collecting and pressing leaves and flowers when I was little to make into birthday cards… and I haven’t changed much! This is another slightly more grown-up project from the beautiful Sinnenrausch. I’d adapt it slightly and watercolour my own paint swatches and have a go at naming the colours myself, à la Sibella Court I think.

{via Design Sponge}

The step-by-step tutorial makes these maple leaf roses look easy, although I’m not quite convinced! I’d love to give it a try nonetheless and think a bunch of these would look great in my chunky rustic jug, or even strung together to make a garland.

I’m collecting my favourite craft ideas over on this Pinterest board – are you following yet?

We came, we wallpapered, we conquered

Knock me down with a feather! Yesterday’s wallpapering was a success! Here’s the result…

Ok, so the low wall still needs painting, those ugly cables need tidying, the radiator’s a shame and I need to replace that cheap door, but aside from that I’m really pleased with how this room is finally shaping up. Even though my friend and I must have written scores of wallpapering ‘how to’ articles between us, we’re both novices when it comes to having a go ourselves. If you’re the same I recommend starting with this tutorial. We followed it to measure, match and cut the lengths…The paper is Cole & Son‘s Mimosa, which is thankfully ‘paste the wall’ so makes things a whole lot easier (and tidier). We used a mini foam roller to apply the paste to the bulk of the wall for each drop and a normal paint brush for the top and edges. Here’s my friend demonstrating the technique while I took a sneaky tea break!

As we’d managed to pick the hottest day of July for our work, we soon decided it was time for lunch. Pizza in the park anyone?

I was a bit nervous about what we’d do when we reached the dreaded radiator. Over at Yahoo answers my search for “How I wallpaper behind a radiator without removing it?” yielded some less than encouraging responses:

“Just do a botched job – who looks behind radiators anyway?”

“With difficulty”

“Almost impossible: Do yourself a favour and find a friendly plumber to remove it for you, soon, before the winter comes”

Err, yeah. Thanks.

So, there was nothing else for it. We had to make it up ourselves. Who looks behind radiators anyway, right?

If you’re interested, this is how we did it in the end:

We measured from the edge of the previous drop to the bracket behind the radiator and cut upwards from the bottom of the length to the top of the bracket. As it’s paste the wall we could do this neatly on the floor without splatting gloopy paste all over the radiator, which was a big plus.

Then we hung the top of the roll as usual, used a long handled mini roller to paste behind the radiator as best we could and carefully fed the cut paper behind the radiator with the cut strips at the bottom either side of the bracket.

Using the same long handled roller but with a dry sleeve we smoothed the paper behind and finally brushed a bit of paste along the bottom of the radiator to stick the two cut ends together. It sounds complicated but actually it was a lot more straightforward than we thought and looks pretty neat and tidy. For a botched job anyway!

{all Decorator’s Notebook}

So, there you have it. Maybe not the most professional finish in the world but it looks ok, don’t you think?